Kyle Kuzma Offers Thoughts On How To Fix Jazz Roster
May 3, 2022, 2:45 PM
Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz attempts to drive past Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers during a game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on December 4, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Former University of Utah star Kyle Kuzma offered his thoughts on how the Utah Jazz could fix their roster this offseason.
It’s not often that an active NBA player will comment on how opposing teams can get better, but the Washington Wizards forward had a suggestion while watching the Jazz in their first-round playoff exit against the Dallas Mavericks.
“I think Utah just need to get that 1a/1b player to add to Don and they’d be straight,” Kuzma tweeted.
I think Utah just need to get that 1a/1b player to add to Don and they’d be straight.
— kuz (@kylekuzma) April 29, 2022
The Jazz lost to the Mavericks in six games, marking the third time in four seasons the team had been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
It was also the third straight season the Jazz built an early series lead, only to watch it slip away.
One of the team’s key issues was their ability to score the ball as their offensive rating dropped from the top spot in the NBA during the regular season to 12th among the 16 playoff teams.
The Jazz lacked diversity in their ability to score the ball as Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Mike Conley all saw their offensive efficiency drop in the postseason.
Regarding how Kuzma would fix the Jazz, finding a second leading man on the offensive end to accompany Mitchell is one of the more difficult tasks in the NBA that most teams struggle with.
According to @realOCsports, Rudy Gobert plans to tell the @utahjazz that they need to choose between him and teammate Donovan Mitchell this summer.
You can hear @realOCsports with @BensHoops and @JakeScottZone here. #TakeNote | @ZoneSportsNet https://t.co/dh7Ja27ibM
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) May 2, 2022
There were only 40 players this season who averaged more than 20 points per game, of which 28 shared the court with another 20 point per game scorer.
That leaves just 12 other players in the league, including Mitchell, who are capable of carrying a large offensive load. And, due to their rarity, the Jazz may not have the assets required to land a player of that caliber.
Kuzma spent three seasons at the University of Utah before entering the 2017 NBA Draft. The forward has career averages of 15.6 points and 6.2 rebounds in four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and one year with the Washington Wizards.
